There can be no denying it: once you decide to truly start living life, amazing things start to happen to you.

Left: “Adopted little sister” Christy-lee Right: My little sister Jess

I’m not talking about winning the lottery (although that would be amazing) rather about the amazing everyday moments that come alive when you are really paying attention and saying the magic word: yes.

• An amazing workout before sunrise with my little sister, sated and sweaty and ready to go to breakfast.
• The smile from the barista at my favourite coffee shop.
• Flowers from my sweet neighbour for Mum and Dad who are recovering from pneumonia.
• A day out with my sister Jess and my “adopted younger sister” when her Navy ship sailed into Brisbane yesterday.
• Driving home with the windows down, the sun setting over my hometown, my little sister in the driver’s seat and some great music on the radio.
• Freshly baked banana crumb cake with a cup of tea.

HMAS Warramunga

All of these wonderful moments because I started saying yes, and I opened my eyes to the beauty that is the world around me. Started to seize the day.

I know it’s hard to seize every moment of every day, but we could all surely try a little harder just to notice the essence of amazing, of good, of wonder, that runs through life.

My challenge to you all today: carpe diem in the little moments.

Tell me what you see. What is one tiny little wonder that popped out in your mind today?

Gluten-free Banana Crumb Cake

Gluten-free Banana Crumb Cake

I like my bananas really soft for banana baking so I buy a few extra and wait for them to mature to perfect banana baking ripeness. I like mine almost black skinned and on the verge of are they or aren’t they okay. I find this makes them far easier to mash, and more ‘banana-ery’ tasting banana cake.

On another note: individual squares or slices of this cake freeze and defrost very well so your treat can last all week (if it makes it…)

For the crumb:

• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 50 grams brown sugar
• 50 grams almond meal
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Delicate sprinkle of nutmeg

For the cake:

• 125 grams buckwheat flour
• 100 grams almond meal
• 100 grams brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
•  1 cup mashes banana (about 3 large, very ripe bananas )
• 170 grams non-fat Greek/natural yoghurt
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons rice bran oil (or other flavourless vegetable oil)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius. Grease a 9-inch square cake tin and line the bottom with cooking parchment.
2. Make the crumb, this can sit and wait patiently while you prepare the rest of the cake batter. Add all crumb ingredients to a small bowl and rub butter into dry ingredients until it resembles rather chunky breadcrumbs. Set aside.
3. Now onto the cake. Weigh buckwheat flour, almond meal, and brown sugar into a large bowl. Whisk together and ensure that there are no lumps of brown sugar.
4. Add salt, baking powder, and spices and whisk to combine.
5. In a separate bowl place banana, yoghurt, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Whisk well with a fork to combine. The liquid ingredients should be quite silken and well incorporated before you add them to the dry ingredients.
6. Add banana mixture to flour mixture and stir until just combined. Make sure there are no pockets of flour but do not over beat.
7. Pour batter into prepared cake tin and retrieve your crumb mix. Sprinkle this generously over every inch of the surface of the cake mixture.
8. Place cake into oven and cook for approximately 30 – 40 minutes. The cake is done when a tester comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
9. Allow to cool (if you are patient) and then slice and serve, or (if you are impatient like me) eat a little part of the corner while it is still warm, and the rest of your piece when it has cooled a little.

Me and Christy-lee!